Machine fob stamping ores



No. 8,818. 'PATENTBD MAR. 23, 1852. w. BALL. MAGHINE TOR STAMPING ORE.

UTED STATES PATENT oFFro.

WILLIAM BALL, on crnc ornn, MASSACHUSETTS.

MACHINE FOR STAMPING ORES.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 8,818, dated March 23, 18 52.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM BAL of Chicopee, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improved Machine for Stamping Auriferous or other Ores or Minerals; and I do hereby declare that the same is fully described and represented in the following specification and accompanying drav mgs,

leading into it on its rear side and curved or shaped as seen in Fig. 3. Within the said hopper one or more inclined plates at,

are disposed as seen in Fig. 8, and are for the purpose of preventing the ore and water from being splashed or thrown out by the blows of the stamper, as when a current of water is thrown up the entrance spout it will generally strike against the under side .of the deflector, and by it be thrown back into the mortar.

A stamper C is placed within the mortar and operated by the action of gravity and the power of a steam engine as will be hereinafter described. The mortar rests on one or more very strong springs D made of india rubber or other proper material, and it is so held or supported within the uprights or posts I), b, of the frame A as to be capable of a free vertical play or movement on its supporting springs.

The stamper consists of a very heavy' metallic bar or rod which ismade to play up and down vertically in bearings as seen at 0, cl, and through the eye of a bevel gear E, from which projections extend into a long groove e "made in the stamper so as to cause the stamper not only to revolve with the bevel gear, but to be able to rise or fall independently of it. This bevel gear is rotated bymeans of a bevel pinion F, fixed on the shaft of a pulley G, thesaid pulley being turned by a band proceeding from any driving drum or power.: The -.upper ered Fig. 2

end of the stamper is connected to the piston rod H of a steam cylinder 1.. The connection is made by means of a circular head f fixed on the rod H and inserted within a cylindrical cavity 9 formed down in the upper end of the stamper. Under and above the head f is an india rubber or other proper spring h, or 2', the whole being covby a cap plate 70 which is confined on the top of the stamper by screws.

The valve chest of the steam cylinder is seen at K. It receives steam from a steam generatorin any proper way, and should have its induction and ecluction steam passages so arranged, and its valve operated as to cause the piston to be elevated by the pressure of the steam and depressed by the gravitating power of the stamper and piston: The valve rod Z is worked by an eccentrio m, fixed on'a shaft n arranged as seen in the drawings. On the said shaft there is fastened a pulley 0, around which and another pulley p fixed on a shaft 9 an endless belt passes. A cone drum 7' is also fixed on the shaft 9 and receives its motion from a belt which is driven by another con-e drum 6 that has upon its shaft a fast pulley a and a loose pulley o, the main driving belt being made to run on either of the latter pulleys as occasion may require. By such mechanism the speed or vertical movements of the steam valve and the piston are pro- .duced and rendered faster or slower as may be .desirable.

From the above itwill be, seen that as the stamper rod plays up and down through its lower bearing (Z and the stamper operates within the mortar while the latter ismade to contain ore and water, much grit or earthy particles are liable to collect on the that of the rod. And I cause a stream of water to flow into the said basin and from thence to pass down through the hole in its bottom and around the stamper rod and into the mortar, so as to wash off from the stamper rod any silicious or earthy particles which by collecting on it would becarried up into the bearing and wear it and the rod, while the rod is in motion.

Water and auriferous ore are introduced into the mortar through the spout or hopper M. The stream of Water after filling the mortar to the extent required passes off.

through the grating N, placed in the front of the upper part of the mortar. This grating or grate has an inclined position given to it as seen in the drawings, and its meshes or interstlces aremade of a size such as Wlll retain within the mortar any ore that may notbe sufficiently pulverized. It is inclined in the manner shown in Fig. 3 instead of be-- ing placed upright as it is in other stamping machines for the purpose of preventing any particles or pieces of rock from being thrown through it as is often the case when the upright grates are used. When the mortar is charged with ore the top of the charge.

is generally up to a level with, or may be a little above the bottom of the grate. Underv these circumstances a downward blow of the stamper on the mass will often cause pieces of rock or ore to be projected laterally and horizontally or thereabouts with great force, often such as will throw them entirely through the grate and thus spoil it and require a new one to be inserted. By arranging the grate in the inclined manner as represented in the drawings, pieces of rock when so thrown against it will be deflected by means of its inclined surface and will thereby not act on such surface with a power sufiicient to enable them to pass through or injure the grate. They will be thrown up-' ward from the grate and back into the mor.

tar.

, Fig. 4 denotes a side view of the stamper and its rod. Fig. 5 is a bottom view of 1t.

Fig. 6 is a top view of the stamper or stamper head as it is sometimes termed.

Fig. 7 is a bottom view of the stamper 'rod. Fig. 8 is a section through the stamper head, rod and key. Fig. 9 is another side view of the stamper and its rod showing the end of the wedge key.

similarly curved as seen at d, e, f, in Fig. 7.

When the stamper head is put in place and the key driven up, the curved edges .of the dovetail surfaces not only allow them to slide upon each other for the express purpose of allowing the opposite or straight side of the dovetail m to turn either way and thereby form a universal dovetail connection whereby any imperfection in the rough.

cast iron dovetail m will not prevent the key J from bringing it to bear firmly on three 7 I adjust itself to the key for a firm and equal hearing, but they prevent it from moving laterally out of place. The'wedge key is driven into the connection on that side of the stamper head which isnearest to the side of the mortar, the side of the mortar serving to keep the key in place. The lower part of the stamper is made so as to have a larger stamping surface on one side of the vertical axis of the rod than there is on the other; that is tosay, the center 03 of the stamping surface is arranged at a distance from the axis 6 of the rod, see Fig. 5. This as the stamp rod is rotated causes the lower end of the, stamp to continually strike in a fresh place on the ore or charge, and prevents it from packing in the mortar asis constantly the case where a cylindrical stamp is used. It also exposes a fresh quantity to each blow and enables each blow by its concussion to loosen the particles of that part of the charge on which it does not directly act.

'I am aware that a rock drill is rotated so as to gradually cut around the surface removed by it. Such an instrument is not used for the purpose, as is the stamper about described, the object of the former being to cut away a surface while that of the latter, is to crack or break up a body or mass lying between it and a bed or bottom of a mortar. The operations of the two belong to entirely different arts, and the instrument that would sufiice for the one would by no means be practically useful in the other. The effect of my improved stamping apparatus in comparison with that kind in general use has been found to be such that with ten horse power applied to one stamper I have been able to'do about double the work that is done with twenty four stamps and seventy five horse power, and now being used at the Teherian gold mine in Fluvanna county, Virginia.

The improved mode of connecting the stamper head to its rod is of great convenience and advantage as it enables the stamper head to always keep itself in adjustment however irregular it may wear on its bot tom, and thereby prevents it from accidents which are constantly occurring to the stamper heads as usually made and applied- It will not answer, nor forms no part of my improvement to make the sides of the dovetail'connection obtuse angular in shape instead of arcs of a circle. They must be arcs of a circle to produce the effect desired.

What I claim as my improvement is as follows:

1. I claim the combination of the washing basin of contrivance L, with'the stamp rod and its hearing so as to operate in manner and'ifor the purpose as specified.

parts of the two sides on the straight side to 2. I also claim the deflective plate in the entrance spout orhopper as combined with the same and the mortar and stamper and used for the purpose as specified.

3. I also claim the improvement in the stamp head, or the making of it With a greater stamping surface on one side of its axis of rotation than itis on the other; the

same bein for the purpose of preventing l0 packing of the charge as specified.

4. The mode of applying the stamp head to the stamp rod, Viz., by means of the circular arcs or'curves of the sides of the universal dovetail connection With the Wedge key as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereto set my signature this third day of November,

WM. BALL. Witnesses:

'PHILANDER H. STREET,

WM. WHEELER. 

